Bitter Memories
by unfinishedstorylines
Summary: Set in episode three, Mako's flashback of the red scarf, and a little Makorra there too


"We're going to need disguises, Korra"

"So I _have_ to put my hair down?"

"Yes everyone will be able to recognize you a mile away with your hair up"

"Ugh fine"

"Here and take my scarf"

* * *

Mako didn't really understand why in that moment, he let Korra wear his scarf; it wasn't even _his_ scarf, it was his father's. He began to unravel the deep crimson scarf from his neck and noticed the memories threaded into the scarf, but no matter how many memories were available, anytime he thought about the scarf, he always revisited the day of his parents deaths, the day the world stopped turning, the day that the clock stopped moving, the day where everything seemed to go slower than usual.

He looked back on that day in his life, which he almost always regretted doing, and remembered his father's last words. It's amazing how instantaneously a family can crumble, how his life could be mapped out in that one moment, how he would lose the only constants in his life, in just one moment.

They were out for dinner that night, and all Mako could think of was how amazing it was that his father loved his mother to the depths of the world. She didn't even have to say anything for him to know that she was cold, but he still wrapped the crimson scarf around his fair wife's shoulders as if it were a shawl.

He remembers how beautiful his mother was, he remembers her short raven coloured curls, her fair, alabaster skin, and her beauty mark on her upper lip. Anyone could tell b her ember eyes that she was from the fire nation, and she had the fiery personality to match it. It was his mother that was avidly involved in politics, she never let anyone stand in the way of her viewpoints, not even his dad, and that's what made him fall in love with her so much.

His father was a robust Earth bender from Ba Sing Se with caramel brown hair, and for some reason he always wore glasses with square frames that always accented his emerald green eyes. He met his wife at a protest, she was protesting the use of bending, and he just couldn't understand why. Bending is what made their town function, but after a conversation with the enticing woman, he understood. Soon enough he found himself restraining his Earth bending, and only using it in necessary situation, but love was worth it.

His parent's weren't extremists, or even part of the Equalist movement, his mother didn't envy benders, and his father wasn't ashamed of his, they just wanted a simple life without bending. That would obviously change when their first son would turn out to be a Fire bender, and their second an Earth bender. They let their sons choose what path to go by with their bending, and his mother quieted down in the world of politics.

The world of politics had not forgotten though.

After dinner the four of them were walking home, Bolin was only a toddler, when suddenly a Fire bender emerged and started antagonizing his mother. His father guided the two boys to a nearby alley and told them to stay put, and if a problem occurred, get the police. Mako doesn't remember much, he remembers his mother's screams, and his father's Earth bending to protect her, but at last he remembers his mother's burns that she succumbed to, and his father's scars, and the Fire bender fleeing.

Mako ran to his mother, her once lively curls lost life, his father's emerald eyes were broken, and his parents each had final words for him. His mother gave him absolute permission to use bending to protect himself and get by in this dark town "I love you baby boy, and I'm so sorry" and then Mako held her hand as he watched his mother slowly lose her fight against the burns. He took his father's scarf and he realized that his father was still alive, but he was just hanging on the thread of life. "I bought that scarf in a small store at the Fire Flats district" Mako had no idea why his father was telling stories "The seller told me that the red symbolized the love, while the threads symbolized how love will stay strong" he saw his father's tears rolling down his face "Lets hope you have the same luck I did" And he watched his father die in front of him.

Mako wears the scarf to remember his parents, remember the love his father had for his mother, and suddenly his flashback was interrupted

* * *

"Mako are you sure?"

"About what?"

"Wearing your scarf, you just always have it on and it seem impor-"

"I'm sure"

"But-"

"Just protect the scarf okay, now we have to go find Bolin, I'm not losing him too"

Korra always reminded him of his mother, headstrong, annoying at times, but strong, maybe that's why he let her wear the scarf, she was the only person he let wear the scarf, he knows his father would be thinking that he loved her, and maybe his father would be right. Is that why he let Korra wear the scarf? Did he love her? _That's absurd _he whispered to himself

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing let's get going"

"Whatever you say_ team captain_"

_It's not love_ he thought _but it's getting there_


End file.
